Today’s first reading:

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink." She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread." She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

Many of our families and students come here, and, I believe, give it their all. They are giving what they have, and they are willing to give even a little more for the benefit of their daughter’s education, or to spend the time needed to understand a math concept, find the meaning behind a lab, or prepare for a Heritage Festival.

But what is their jar of flour or jug of oil? What is it that they are hoping will not run dry? It must be the human and the Christian education that we provide. We tell them regularly that education will allow them to live out their lives in a way that provides for themselves, their families, and the world that they will serve. So when it happens that we tire of repeating instructions, telling students to be quiet, or correcting papers, we are reminded that we “must also enter into [Christ’s] purposes and goals. He came on earth, as he said, only that people might have life and have it to the full. . . What have you . . . that has not been given to you?" (De La Salle, Med. 196.3) What we have been given, we must share with our students so that they, too, will fully live.

Live, Jesus, in our hearts!